Bidoon in Kuwait

Over 100,000 residents of Kuwait are stateless, despite living in Kuwait for centuries. The bidoon (meaning, "without nationality") are discriminated against in every walk of life: they often cannot obtain marriage lisences, driver's licenses or birth certificates, which makes owing property, traveling outside the country, and legally establishing a family impossible. The bidoon are deprived of all state services given to citizens like child stipends, free health care, public education and subsidized housing. Bidoons cannot study in universities, join clubs and associations or work in government and due to their lack of documentation have trouble finding other jobs. The Kuwaiti regime claims that many of the bidoon are "illegal residents" who came to Kuwait after 1920, and should return to their countries of origin.